A burnt-out headlight can be a pesky and costly fix. Having a police officer stop your vehicle to inform you of the issue can add to that stress.
Now, Roseville Police Department is teaming up with the Maplewood Public Safety Department, Target, and Lights On! to provide vouchers for free vehicle light bulb replacements.
Drivers are invited to stop by for a FREE vehicle light check from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23 in the parking lot of Roseville Church of Christ, 241 Larpenteur Ave. W., in Roseville.
- No ID is required
- You can stay in your vehicle
- Receive a voucher for up to $250 towards bulb replacements at participating repair shops
Lights On! partners with law enforcement and auto service providers to replace traffic tickets for inoperable lights with repair vouchers. The vouchers improve safety and mitigate what often becomes a downward spiral for lower-income members of our communities.
Lights On! turns the potential confrontation of the traffic stop into an opportunity to connect one-on-one in a productive, restorative experience. Lights On! is a program of MicroGrants, a nonprofit dedicated to providing people of potential with grants that spur economic stability.
Roseville Police Chief Erika Scheider and Deputy Police Chief Joe Adams will be visiting with members of the public and will be available to the media at that time.
Letters Instead program also builds community trust
In addition to Wednesday’s drive-thru, Roseville Police Department also distributes Lights On! Vouchers as part of its Letters Instead program.
When Roseville police officers observe burnt-out headlights, expired tabs, and other equipment violations, the department mails the vehicle’s registered owner a letter instead of initiating a traffic stop. The program is designed to bolster both public safety and community trust.
Since the progra
m launched in 2023, the city has mailed out nearly 2,000 letters instead of initiating traffic stops.
The letters notify vehicle owners of equipment violations. The letters also share resources to help drivers remedy issues including information on financial assistance to renew license plate tabs and a voucher to fix burnt-out lights courtesy of the Lights On! Program.
“Ultimately, we decided to try a different approach with addressing minor equipment violations,” explains Scheider. “We recognize that most vehicle owners are either unaware of minor equipment violations or perhaps they are unable to afford the repair.”
Letters Instead was launched after the Roseville Police Department conducted a review of all policies and procedures and determined that traffic stops based solely on equipment violations disproportionately impacted communities of color, which undermined law enforcement’s legitimacy.
It also reflects the evolving community sentiment around policing priorities. It takes officers 30 seconds to log an equipment violation in their computer system compared to a traffic stop, which takes several minutes and may pull officers away from more urgent police work.